I’ve been a fan of Olafur Eliasson since I saw his exhibit at SFMOMA last year. So when I heard about his waterfall exhibit, I was determined to go see it.

There are naysayers, and that’s fine by me. Art should inspire a variety of reactions. I remember the indignant looks I got when I chortled at Yoko Ono’s exhibit. Critics don’t like the scaffolding. They think the waterfalls don’t come close to the Gates exhibit. And they can’t compare with the likes of Niagara, Victoria, or Iguazu. True, true.

But when we arrived at the South Street Seaport on a Tuesday evening, it was about 73 degrees, with a light, warm wind. The wharf was buzzing with people wandering around and lounging on the reclining chairs. We could see all four waterfalls from our vantage point, and I thought they were spectacular. I was particularly fond of the waterfall at the Brooklyn Bridge anchorage. It’s squat and powerful, and quite photogenic. The two kayakers at its base seemed to agree.

The waterfalls’ hours have been shortened because of the effects of the salty spray on nearby trees. That is no good. But Wikipedia, that bastion of knowledge, claims that in his youth, Eliasson was the breakdancing champion of Scandinavia. And that is quite rich.